NEW -- 10 Takeaways from #Trump's Opening to #Syria. There's lots to unpack analytically from a sudden & major opening for post #Assad #Syria. Read here: www.syriaweekly.com/p/10-takeawa...

This week was hugely significant for #Syria's new gov't -- with official visits to #WashingtonDC & #NewYork resulting in a surge in diplomacy, new finance deals & investment openings. #SyriaWeekly covers every meeting & outcome: www.syriaweekly.com/p/syria-week...

Since I started #SyriaWeekly 10 months ago, I've been blown away by the interest. With ~50,000 views per month, we have subscribers in 109 countries around the world, including officials from 41 governments. Subscribe! syriaweekly.com

In the last 4 months of #Assad's rule, an average of 68 people were killed *every week* in acts of violence. In the last 4 weeks, the average has been 49. Last week was 24. www.syriaweekly.com/p/weekly-dat...

NEW #SyriaWeekly -- Ahmed al-Sharaa travels to #Turkey, #UAE & #Qatar; #Saudi pays off #Syria's World Bank debts; Ahmed al-Awda's 8th Brigade dissolves in #Daraa; and #SDF-#Damascus de-escalation continues. All the details & much more: www.syriaweekly.com/p/syria-week...

NEW -- #Syria's gov't started work this week, with a new Central Bank governor, ambassador reshuffles & a surge in #Druze engagement in #Suwayda. #SyriaWeekly covers everything, in the latest newsletter: Subscribe: www.syriaweekly.com/p/syria-week...

NEW -- #SyriaWeekly's latest data updates show armed violence increased 16% across #Syria over the past week. Plus tracking actions by pro-#Assad insurgents, #ISIS, #Israel & kidnappings & UXO incidents. www.syriaweekly.com/p/weekly-dat...

I just left #Syria after an extraordinary trip — one that until recently I never thought I’d make again. From #Aleppo, to #Idlib, #Latakia, #Tartus, #Salamiya, #Suwayda & #Damascus. So many takeaways, but most of all: it's free & everyone is overjoyed. A 🧵:

For years, #ISIS & #AlQaeda accused #HTS of complicity in US drone strikes in #Syria -- and for years, #HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa has wanted a CT/security partnership with the U.S. He may now have it. Exclusive details: www.syriaweekly.com/p/us-begins-...

NEW -- the EU has suspended all sanctions on #Syria related to air, land & sea shipping, as well as banking & energy for 12 months. A good step, following on from US actions. A short 🧵:

NEW -- #Trump's global aid freeze has cut the salaries paid to many of the prison & camp guards responsible for securing 9,500 #ISIS militants & ~40,000 associated women/kids in northeast #Syria. Many are no longer turning up for work.

NEW -- the US has begun intel sharing with #Syria's #HTS-led transition, focused on countering #ISIS. A huge move that comes after years of widely rumored #HTS CT collaboration with foreign states -- or just lots of coincidences. www.syriaweekly.com/p/us-begins-...

"While the lead role being played by #HTS in #Syria's transition undoubtedly raises many challenging questions, Ahmed al-Sharaa isn’t Bashar al-#Assad & #HTS isn’t Assad’s regime. Sanctions on one can't simply be transferred to the other." www.syriaweekly.com/p/as-syria-r...

To say a lot has happened in/around #Syria over the past week would be an understatement. Today's NEW #SyriaWeekly update will catch you up on everything -- and this one is FREE access for all. www.syriaweekly.com/p/syria-week...

#NewYear celebrations ongoing in #Damascus, #Syria! 2025 will be the first year free of #Assad tyranny since 1971 — more than half a century.

The amount of disinformation doing the rounds on #Syria these days is stunning -- some is organized & by design, but much more is the result of simple ignorance. To make matters worse, *very* few appear capable of distinguishing fact from fiction. A 🧵:

NEW -- #SyriaWeekly has the latest comprehensive guide to #Syria's #HTS-led transition, as well as everything else that's happened across #Syria over the past week. There's a lot. www.syriaweekly.com/p/syrias-tra...

One of the best things I have read on Syria by @charleslister1.bsky.social foreignpolicy.com/2024/12/08/s...

NEW -- "#Assad’s Regime Ends & An Uncertain Transition Begins" - #SyriaWeekly has the ultimate, comprehensive guide on the fall of #Damascus & the rapidly moving transition now underway in #Syria. www.syriaweekly.com/p/assads-reg...

"US foreign policy in the region could change on a dime... #Trump has already stated the US should have “nothing to do” with #Syria’s future. But to do nothing would give #ISIS a chance to surge once again." My latest in the NY Times: www.nytimes.com/2024/12/15/o...

#HTS's tip-of-the-spear advance across #Syria has presented international actors with a huge legal/policy dilemma -- a 🧵 After 2 days of #Syria diplomatic talks, it's clear most are considering the likelihood that designations may need re-considering.

🚨 NEW EPISODE – The chaos of our disordered world gives terror groups the cover they need to regroup. 🚨 @ejbeals.bsky.social talks to Middle East experts @ryanmofarrell.bsky.social & @charleslister1.bsky.social about the resurgent #IslamicState and what it means. 🚨 Listen now linktr.ee/DrillPod

Having worked on #Syria full-time since the crisis began nearly 14yrs ago, there really is no understating how remarkable the losses imposed on #Assad's regime have been over the past week. A large reason for this lies with #HTS — a 🧵:

Unfortunately, Charles Lister isn’t on Bluesky (yet), but this is the best update on Syria you will find anywhere: www.syriaweekly.com/p/special-sy...

As opposition forces advance in northern #Syria, families long separated by war & by the terror instilled by the #Assad regime’s security state are finally being reunited. These brothers hadn’t seen each other for 7yrs, until today in #Aleppo.a

It’s been a while since #Russia was precision striking hospitals in #Syria - but it’s restarted, as #Putin pursues a punishment campaign against civilians & vital infrastructure. This was #Idlib University hospital earlier today:

I had a great 35-min chat with @lawfare.bsky.social yesterday -- discussing the return of major hostilities in #Syria. This should offer a good foundation for understanding what's going on, why & to what end. www.youtube.com/watch?v=09h_...

Really good, historically cognizant, granular analysis of the offensive that you aren't going to get reading mainstream news

OK, here we go. Here's a comprehensive guide to what's happened in #Syria in recent days -- lots of exclusive details, data & analysis on the capture of #Aleppo & much more. www.syriaweekly.com/p/special-sy...

Here's my lengthy interview with PBS Newshour -- discussing major escalation in #Syria, what it means, what comes next & what the risks are for the US. www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyMp...

If I don't collapse of exhaustion beforehand, I plan to publish a comprehensive explainer on developments in NW #Syria in #SyriaWeekly's regular newsletter tomorrow. It'll be free for anyone to read. syriaweekly.com

OK -- today is Day 5 of renewed major conflict in #Syria & the frontlines continue to move. Here's a new 🧵 bringing us up to speed:

OK folks, here's what we know so far from #Syria - a 🧵: #Aleppo city has fallen, along with the entire western countryside & much of the south too -- including the international airport & Kuweiris Airbase. A few #Russia airstrikes, but little else.

NEW -- Day 3 summary from #SyriaWeekly, as #Aleppo's fall appears imminent. Meanwhile, #Saraqeb is taken, Maarat al-Numan is under attack & the #Turkey-backed SNA is moving towards Tel Rifat. www.syriaweekly.com/p/day-3-syri...

If you’re interested in keeping abreast of the fast moving developments and all developments in Syria, I highly suggest subscribing to Syria Weekly by @charleslister1.bsky.social www.syriaweekly.com

NEW -- Day 2 #SyriaWeekly report on the #HTS-opposition offensive, with 25 villages captured today & a new front opened on #Saraqeb in southern #Idlib. Opposition forces are now 3.5km from #Aleppo city -- and still moving. Read: www.syriaweekly.com/p/day-2-oppo...

Tonight will be a big test of #Aleppo frontlines. Sources on the ground say elite #HTS fighters are now inside Khan al-Asal -- utilizing years of training in night-vision combat. #HTS's nighttime "SOF" unit Saraya al-Harari is on the frontline.

#Syria's armed opposition launched a major offensive today, capturing 18 villages & a regime military base, reaching within 6km of #Aleppo city. What happened? What does it mean? What happens next? Read #SyriaWeekly for all details: www.syriaweekly.com/p/armed-oppo...

NEW -- #Syria armed opposition (Fathul Mubeen + #HTS) has launched a major offensive in western #Aleppo, the 1st such operation since 2020. Columns of armored vehicles, one SVBIED & several thousand fighters have captured x6 villages from #Assad's regime.

Authorities in #Jordan, #Turkey, #Egypt, #Saudi & #Lebanon announced the seizure of ~6.1 million #captagon pills over the past week -- a street value of as much as $90-120 million. The #Assad regime's drug trade continues apace. www.syriaweekly.com/p/syria-nove...

NEW -- #ISIS had a huge week in #Syria, killing 28 people in 27 attacks (more than double their typical weekly tempo). Some hit gas pipelines & oil tankers, while several complex multi-target assaults were launched in the central desert. www.syriaweekly.com/p/syria-nove...

#Iran's proxies launched x3 drone & rocket attacks on US forces in #Syria over the past week -- two in al-Shadadi & one at al-Omar in Deir ez Zour. x3 rounds of US airstrikes have hit back. www.syriaweekly.com/p/syria-nove...

Two days ago, #SDF-linked fighters launched the deadliest incursion into opposition areas in ~4yrs -- attacking along x5 axes, killing 13 SNA fighters & taking 6 others prisoner north of #Aleppo. Tensions are rising, sharply. www.syriaweekly.com/p/syria-nove...

NEW #SyriaWeekly is out & it's been an extraordinarily violent & unstable week across #Syria. - 158 people killed in 210 violent incidents in 7 days: Details on everything, here: www.syriaweekly.com/p/syria-nove...

Don't leave Syria. The mission is far from over. (by @charleslister1.bsky.social ) www.mei.edu/blog/dont-le...

Keeping US troops in #Syria accounts for ~0.2% of the US defense budget -- and represents 0.5% of the US military's global footprint & 2% of the #MiddleEast. The idea that the #Syria mission is unsustainable is a myth. My latest: www.mei.edu/blog/dont-le...

#Iran recently closed a car factory in #Syria -- triggering a flurry of regional reports that bilateral ties were breaking down. In truth, the factory had been largely inactive for years & was just destroyed in an #Israel airstrike. www.syriaweekly.com/p/syria-nove...

Yesterday, #Israel conducted its deadliest ever strikes in #Syria, killing 79 #Iran-linked operatives in #Palmyra. IAF jets conducted a daytime dry-run 3 days earlier, flying over #Daraa & #Suwayda. What was hit, who was killed? Details: www.syriaweekly.com/p/dozens-kil...

NEW from #SyriaWeekly: - Dozens killed in #Israel strikes on #Palmyra -- the deadliest Israeli strikes in #Syria to date, which hit #Iran proxy housing, weapons depots & an #Assad Military Intelligence command center. www.syriaweekly.com/p/dozens-kil...

NEW - huge #Israel airstrikes hit (for the 1st time) #Palmyra in #Homs, #Syria, targeting #Iran proxy militias (which have a sizeable presence in the area). Multiple casualties confirmed, with strikes hitting weapons storage & fighter accommodation.